These simple & healthy Salted Caramel Apple Nachos are the perfect Fall dessert or sweet snack for both kids and adults. The homemade salted caramel sauce contains just four ingredients and is not only gluten-free, but also vegan, allergy-friendly, and refined sugar free. This recipe is easy to customize by adding toppings of your choice!
Healthy Salted Caramel Apple Nachos
Once September/October rolls around, you can’t help but notice grocery store shelves lined with caramel dipped apples…then covered in everything junky–M&M’s, sprinkles, candy corn, oreos…anything but healthy, and anything but celiac-safe!
Let’s look at some of the ingredients…high fructose corn syrup, milk, sugar, butter, artificial flavors, palm oil and tons of preservatives. Thankfully there are some great homemade alternatives to get your caramel apple fix, and this recipe is better than any sugar covered apple you could buy!
The healthy salted caramel sauce for these apple nachos only requires just 4 ingredients and is sweetened only with dates!
Here’s What You’ll Need To Make This Caramel Apple Nachos Recipe
- Apples. Our favorite varieties this time of year are either honeycrisp or granny smith.
- Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce. This sauce is so easy to make! All you need are 4 ingredients: pitted dates, dairy-free milk, vanilla extract and salt.
- More toppings of your choice. Gluten-free granola, crushed gluten-free pretzels, mini chocoalte chips, nuts/seeds, coconut shreds are just a few ideas!
The homemade caramel sauce doesn’t taste exactly like candied caramel, but I think it’s pretty darn close! It definitely has the salted caramel flavor that adds just the right sweetness and Fall flavor to this healthier version of caramel apples.
How To Make These Caramel Apple Nachos
Making caramel apple nachos is as easy as prepping your ingredients!
- Thinly slice your apples then arrange on a large plate or spread a few slices a few smaller plates for individual servings.
- Make the healthy caramel sauce. This only takes a few minutes to blend up the ingredients, but you can also make the caramel sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to serve, gather the toppings into bowls and let the kids create their own!
- Add your toppings and enjoy!
*The salted caramel sauce recipe makes about 1 cup so you might have leftovers, but it keeps well for about a week in the fridge or you can freeze it.
Have you tried this recipe? Be sure to tag me on instagram @thrivingglutenfree so I can see how it turned out!
Let’s Eat!
Healthy Salted Caramel Apple Nachos
Ingredients
- 3 Apples Honey Crisp, Granny Smith-thinly sliced
Date Caramel Sauce
- 20 Pitted Dates
- ½ cup Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
Optional Toppings
- Gluten-Free/Grain-Free Granola
- Mini Chocolate Chips use plant-based for dairy-free
- Nuts/Seeds
- Coconut Flakes unsweetened
Instructions
- Arrange thinly sliced apples on a large plate.
- In a food processor or blender, add dates, milk, vanilla extract and sea salt. Blend until smoothe.
- Drizzle caramel sauce on top of the apples.
- Add desired additional toppings and serve!
Looking for more Fall inspired meal ideas using seasonal foods? Check out these recipes!
